Incision spreader



Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE Alec Thomson andGeorge D. Buiington, Akron, Ohio Application ctober 4, 1948, Serial No.52,636

2 Claims. l

This invention relates to an instrument designed specically forembalming, the primary object of the invention being to provide a deviceof this character which may be inserted in an incision, the yieldablearms acting to spread the incision so that the embalmer will have freeuse of both hands during the raising of arteries and veins through theincision `for the purpose of inserting the proper arterial and veintubes and for accomplishing the required work incident to embalming.

An important object of the invention is to provide an incision spreaderembodying removable piercing pins, which may be readily removed andreplaced when the pins become dull, broken, or otherwise renderedinoperative.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is an elevational view of an incision spreader constructed inaccordance with the invention. l

Fig. 2 is an edge elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational View of one leg of the spreader.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View through one end of one leg member.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a View illustrating a further modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the incision spreader comprises abody portion formed of a length of wire material bent upon itself toprovide leg members 5 and an intermediate coil or loop portion 6 thatlends resiliency to the body portion, normally spreading the leg members5 apart.

As shown, these leg members are curved in the arcs of circles to adddistance between the main portions of the legs so that the operator mayhave room for operation.

At the free end of each leg member 5, is a ball 1, and in the form ofthe invention as shown by Fig. 1 of the drawing, the leg members 5 areformed with openings of diameters to accommodate the pins 8, which havetheir piercing extremities 9 disposed outwardly to pierce the flesh 2adjacent to the incision to hold the spreader against slipping while inuse.

The pins 8 also extend through openings in the balls l, and these pins 8are held against movement with respect to the balls 1, by means of theset screws I0, the set screws setting up a binding action between thepins, leg members and balls 1.

Should it be desired to remove the pins for any reason, such as forreplacement or sharpening, the set screws IIJ may be loosened, whereuponthe pins 8 may be readily removed.

As shown by Figs. 4 and'5 of the drawing, each leg member is formed witha notch extending inwardly from the edge thereof, the notchaccommodating a pin I I, which is pointed to pierce the flesh. In thisform of the invention, the set screw I2 operates to set up a bindingaction between the pin II and ball I3 to hold the pin in position, andat the same time securely unite the leg member with the ball.

In the form of the invention as shown by Fig. 6 of the drawing, the ballis indicated by the reference character Ill, the ball having an openinginto which one end of the leg member I5 of the spreader extends, the legmember I5 being secured within the ball Iii by means of a choke t of theleg member I5 within the opening.

The ball Ill is also formed with an opening in which the inner end'ofthe pin I6 is held by a choke fit, eliminating the necessity of usingsecuring screws, such as Ill and I2, illustrated in Figs. l, 4 and 5 ofthe drawings. From the foregoing it will be seen that due to theconstruction shown and described, I have provided an incision spreaderwherein the leg members thereof may be forced together and the pinsinserted in an incision. The leg members are not released with theresult that the leg members move outwardly opening the incision,allowing free access to the body by the embalmer.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. An incision spreader, comprising a length of Ayieldable wire materialbent upon itself providing an intermediate loop portion and spaced legmembers curved in the arcs of circles, removable balls secured at theends of the leg members, said balls and leg members having aligningopenings, piercing pins disposed within the aligning openings, thepointed ends being disposed outwardly, and means for securing the pinsand balls against movement with respect to the leg members.

2. An incision spreader comprising a length of yieldable wire materialbent upon itself pro- 2,531,171 viding an intermediate loop portion andspaced REFERENCES CITED Curved leg members bans at the free ends of @heThe following references are of record in the leg members, sald ballsand leg members havlng fue of this patent: aligning openings, piercingpins extending into the aligning openings, and set screws extending 5UNITED STATES PATENTS into the balls and engaging the ends of the legNumber Name Date members, securing the pins and balls to the leg2,238,563 Jacques Apr. 15, 1941 meme ALEC THOMSON, FOREIGN PATENTSGEORGE D. BUFFINGTON. 1o Number Country Date 650,887 France Oct. 1, 1928

